Stabilizer for drop side cribs



May 12, 1942.

I s. KROLL ET AL STABILIZER FOR DROP SIDE CRIBS Filed Dec. 5, 1940 Samue jfroll/ INVENTORS 72/5/21 ATTORN Patented May 12, 1942 F:

I UNHTED? STATES STABILIZER ronpn'or SIDE cares Samuel Kroll and Nathan 3. m n, cheat, 1111. Application December 5, 1940; Serial n; 368;576

' t 2 Claims.. (01. 5 1cc).

This invention relates to certain novel improvements in cribs and has for its principal object the provision ofan improved construction of this character which'will be highly efiicient in. use and economical in manufacture;

Among the'salient objects of this invention is to incorporate in a crib having vertical sliding sides a self-adjusting stabilizer and anti-rattler, whereby the sides will be'held firmly in place against rattling orother displacement'resulting ordinarily from too free a movement between the sides and their verticalg'uide rods.

:A still further object of the invention is to provide a self-seating stabilizer which cooperates with the latching mechanism of the vertical slidable sides of a crib for holding the sides firmly in place without interfering with their easy movement from elevated to lowered position with respect to the vertical rods on which the sides of the crib are usually and ordinarily slidably mounted.

A still further object of the invention is a self-adjusting stabilizer which may be associated with the standard parts of a crib without the necessity of modifying or altering the same.

ther objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a part sectional elevational view of a crib embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the same taken substantially on lines 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail View of the same taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view similar to that of Fig. 2 showing a modified form.

The drawing filed as a part of this application illustrates the preferred form or embodiinclude an upper and lower rail I3 and M. These rails I3 and I4 inwardly of their end portions have aligned openings I5 formed therein for the reception of vertical guide rods I6. These guide rods I6 are secured to the end frames II in any conventional manner such as shown at H and I8, andere providedatftheir lower ends with cushion springs I 9 which absorb theshoc'k transmitted to the-crib parts "upon "lowering of the sides I2. The sides I2 are generally latched in 1 an elevated 'pcsition-"by iheans of a'latching mechanism generally indicated at 2?). This latching mechanism n'riay be" of any approved construction, such for"example "as that shown inthe drawing, wherein latch rods' 2 I ar'normally retained .in latched position by springiheans 22 disposed'adjacentthe spaced inner ends of the rods 2! The latching ends of the rods 2| are generallyiproj'ected into keeper notches 23 formed inthe guide rods' I6; Suitable "handle elements 24 may be provided to "facilitate the unlatching of thesides I2 from the rods'lfi.

We have shown one form of means for latch ing these sides I2 to the guide rods I6. However, we do not want to be limited to this form of construction, as the latching mechanism per se constitutes no part of this present invention except in its cooperation with the self-seating stabilizer which will now be explained in detail.

This self-seating stabilizer is indicated generally at 25 and is preferably formed of spring wire formed in the manner shown and now to be described. A plurality of the end convolutions,

indicated at 26; of the stabilizer are formed closely together and by means of solder or the like are securely fixed to adjacent portions of the' guide rod I6 above the top rail I3 of each of the sides I2.

The lower portion of the stabilizer has its convolutions wound closely together as at 21, and these convolutions are formed to provide a substantially conical shaped head. 28, which in use is adapted to fit into a chamfered portion 29 of the openings I5 of each of the toprails I3 of the sides I2.

As shown in Fig. 4 the openings I5 in the rails I3 may be of a substantial clearance to permit a sliding effect upon the rod It with the spring engaging portion 29 of the openings reamed out i this compressed stabilizer serves to hold the sides I2 while at the same time restraining the side rails from rattling due to vibration or looseness or the like.

a suflicient downward pressure upon the sides l2 as to assure a proper fit between the latch rod ends 2| and the keeper notches 23, thereby preventing any accidental displacement of these latch rods 2| by virtue of looseness created by wear or other agents.

It is obvious that the stabilizer springs may be arranged on the rods IE to hold the drop sides in a secure condition when latched in lowered position.

It will be appreciated that the invention herein described is simple in structure and is highly economical in manufacture.

It will also be appreciated that we may dispense with the conical head 28 and provide in lieu thereof a compressible head formed of rubber secured to the convolutions of the stabilizer, or this rubber head may be directly connected to the rod IS, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

While we have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying our invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. We, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail ourselves of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A crib of the class described in which there is a side member having a rail provided with an opening, and a guide rod for the rail passing through said opening for slidably guiding the rail for vertical adjustment, and a spring mem ber mounted on the guide rod and fixed thereto and having a conically shaped portion self-adjustable in said opening between the guide rod and said rail of the side member, and means carried by the side member and adapted for latched engagement with the guide rod for releasably latching the rail in a raised position against the action of said spring.

2. A crib of the class described in which there is a slidable member having a rail provided with anopening and a guide rod for said slidable member and passing through said opening, a coil spring member embracing the guide rod above said rail of said slidable member and having one end portion connected to said rod, the opposite end portion of said coil spring having its convolutions formed to provide a conical head adapted for self-adjustment into said opening between said rail and said guide rod, and means carried by the slidable member and adapted for latched engagement with said guide rod for compressing said spring and releasably latching the slidable member in a raised position, substantially as described.

SAMUEL KROLL. NATHAN J. 

